Posted in St. Louis
October 24, 2017
There’s No House In The World Like This One In St. Louis
There is no home in St. Louis shrouded in as much mystery and intrigue as Lemp Mansion. This once-private residents was home to the Lemp family in the late 1880s to the 1900s. Their tragic story, as well as the turn of the century architecture of this home, make this place a must see in St. Louis.
Lemp Mansion was built in 1868 by Jacob Feickert. William and Julia Lemp moved into the mansion in 1876. A true Victorian palace, Lemp Mansion was built with 33 rooms, cedar walk-in closets, and an observation deck on the third floor.
Johann "Adam" Lemp came to America from Germany in 1836. He started a grocery store and began selling his own beer and vinegar. Soon, he was only selling beer. He grew this enterprise into a large brewing operation, named Western Brewery. When he passed away in 1862, his son, William J. Lemp Sr., took control of the company. Under the leadership of William J. Lemp Sr., Western Brewery became the largest beer producer in St. Louis. With the success of the brewery, the Lemps were one of the wealthiest families in St. Louis. They spent lavishly on their home and on the brewery complex.
The Lemp's good fortune started to change with the sudden unexpected death of William J. Lemp Sr.'s son Frederick in 1901. On February 13th, 1904 William J. Lemp Sr. committed suicide. The business fell to William J. Lemp Jr., who tried to continue the success of the brewery, but the once-profitable business began to decline due to market changes and poor management.
On December 29th 1922, William J. Lemp Jr. committed suicide in his office. There would be two more suicides among the family members of the Lemp siblings in the following years; Elsa Lemp Wright, the youngest child, ended her life in 1920 in her Hortense Place home, and Charles Lemp, the third child of William and Julia, also committed suicide in 1949.
On December 29th 1922, William J. Lemp Jr. committed suicide in his office. There would be two more suicides among the family members of the Lemp siblings in the following years; Elsa Lemp Wright, the youngest child, ended her life in 1920 in her Hortense Place home, and Charles Lemp, the third child of William and Julia, also committed suicide in 1949.
Some people say it was the loss of their fortune and reputation in the community. Others have argued that it was the work of lingering spirits from past tragedies whom never truly left their home. We will never know for sure, but Lemp Mansion is now the most well-known haunted home in St. Louis.
Lemp Mansion is open to the public, with a restaurant, overnight guest rooms, tours of both the haunted and historical varieties. The mansion has been completely restored to its original opulence and features many period furniture pieces.
Some people spend the night in the hopes of seeing spirits, but even if you don't want to see a ghost, spending the night at Lemp Mansion will give you ample time to take in the craftsmanship and architecture of this home.
The mansion has many items related to both the history of the Lemp Brewery and of St. Louis as a whole.
Have you spent the night at Lemp Mansion? Were you there to meet the ghostly residents? Share your experience with us in the comments below.
Looking for more haunted attractions? Check out this haunted prison tour that isn’t for the faint of heart!
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Address: 3322 Demenil Place, St. Louis, MO 63118